THE BILL ITSELF
SB 616
Florida Highway Patrol Body Camera Use
Florida Senate - 2026 SB 616 By Senator Smith 17-00746-26 2026616__
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A bill to be entitled
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An act relating to Florida Highway Patrol body camera
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use; creating s. 321.51, F.S.; defining terms;
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requiring members of the Florida Highway Patrol to
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wear a functioning body camera under certain
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circumstances; specifying that the body camera must
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remain activated under certain circumstances;
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requiring the Department of Highway Safety and Motor
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Vehicles to adopt certain policies and procedures,
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ensure compliance with certain public records and
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retention requirements, and provide certain training;
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authorizing the department to contract with third
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party vendors to provide storage for body camera
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recordings; providing that an officer who does not
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comply with certain requirements, policies, and
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procedures may be subject to disciplinary action;
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exempting Florida Highway Patrol body camera
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recordings from specified provisions relating to the
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interception of wire, electronic, and oral
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communications; amending s. 943.1718, F.S.; revising
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the definitions of the terms “law enforcement agency”
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and “law enforcement officer”; providing an
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appropriation; providing an effective date.
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Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
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Section 1. Section 321.51, Florida Statutes, is created to
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read:
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321.51 Use of body cameras required.—
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(1) As used in this section, the term:
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(a) “Body camera” means a portable electronic recording
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device that is worn on an officer’s person and which records
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audio and video data in the course of the officer performing his
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or her official duties and responsibilities.
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(b) “Department” means the Department of Highway Safety and
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Motor Vehicles.
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(c) “Officer” means a member of the Florida Highway Patrol.
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(2) Each officer shall wear a functioning body camera while
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on duty and engaged in an official law enforcement-related
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activity or public interaction. The camera must remain activated
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during law enforcement encounters, traffic stops, pursuits, and
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arrests and any situation in which the officer’s actions could
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become the subject of an investigation or complaint.
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(3) The department shall:
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(a) Adopt written policies and procedures governing the
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proper use, activation, deactivation, maintenance, and storage
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of body cameras.
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(b) Ensure compliance with the public records and retention
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requirements of s. 119.071(2)(l).
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(c) Provide training to all officers on the appropriate use
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of body cameras, and legal considerations related thereto.
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(4) The department may contract with a third-party vendor
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to provide secure cloud-based data storage for body camera
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recordings which is consistent with the state’s cybersecurity
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standards.
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(5) An officer who does not comply with the requirements of
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this section or with the policies and procedures of the
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department relating to body camera use may be subject to
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disciplinary action.
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(6) Chapter 934 does not apply to body camera recordings
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made by officers wearing body cameras in accordance with this
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section.
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Section 2. Paragraphs (b) and (c) of subsection (1) of
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section 943.1718, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
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943.1718 Body cameras; policies and procedures.—
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(1) As used in this section, the term:
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(b) “Law enforcement agency” means an agency that has a
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primary mission of preventing and detecting crime and enforcing
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the penal, criminal, traffic, and motor vehicle laws of the
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state and in furtherance of that primary mission employs law
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enforcement officers as defined in s. 943.10 , except that the
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term does not include the Florida Highway Patrol .
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(c) “Law enforcement officer” has the same meaning as
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provided in s. 943.10 , except that the term does not include a
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member of the Florida Highway Patrol .
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Section 3. For the 2026-2027 fiscal year, the nonrecurring
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sum of $2 million is appropriated from the General Revenue Fund
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to the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles to
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implement this act. The funds must be used for the purchase,
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maintenance, and storage of body cameras; to provide officer
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training; and to provide secure, cloud-based data storage for
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body camera recordings.
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Section 4. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.